What Soldiers Love To Get In Care Packages

We were a military family for four years. In fact, my husband was deployed to Afghanistan with my first pregnancy and to Iraq with my second. It got to be a joke among the 98 Charlies that “If Anne is pregnant, we’re going to be deployed soon.” Sending care packages to my husband brought both of us a great deal of joy, and I learned over the years what he (and the others in his unit) liked best.

So here are some tips for getting together your next care package, whether it’s for a relative, a friend or a stranger who serves. Before getting started, check out the free military care kits from the United States Postal Service.

It’s super nice to send extra items for soldiers that may not ever get care packages of their own

Some things are contraband (prohibited) and can get a soldier in trouble including drugs (non-OTC), alcohol, weapons, and explicit/vulgar items. Check with the unit just in case there are items specifically prohibited where they are deployed.

Have you sent a military care package before? Which items were most popular?